With SGA elections wrapping up on Thursday April 19, the EC student body has elected the 2018-2019 school year SGA board.

EC junior Madiha Ahmed and running mate EC freshman Laura Rusk, the new president and vice president of SGA, won with 69.1 percent of the student vote against their opponents EC juniors Josh Bucens and Carlos Cantu.

Ahmed, whose speech to the current SGA board can be found in April 17 issue of The Leader, ran on a stance of her experience as a member of SGA and meeting a variety of student needs.

“I feel like I have a good idea of how it works,” Ahmed said in her SGA speech. “[Ahmed and Rusk] love making the Elmhurst College experience better and our main goal is that the needs of students are met.”

Ahmed expressed her excitement to work with the new board and her expectations in their ability to help students.

“I’m just really excited to be working with the other amazing individuals on the board to hopefully meet (and exceed) the expectations of the student body,” Ahmed told The Leader in a Facebook interview.

Rusk added that she plans to work closely with Ahmed to better address the issues on campus affecting a wide range of students.

“Just few ideas we’ve come up with is maps and better visibility of all gender restrooms on campus, more resources for out of state students,” Rusk said. “[And] accommodations for commuter students and definitely emphasizing the continuation of partnerships that SGA has started for things like the winter weekend which I thought was very successful.”

EC junior Lauren Downer won the election for SGA secretary, as the sole runner, with 91.97 percent of 137 voters. Downer ran with the hopes of growing her skills as a member of SGA and personal experience.

“I have been on SGA for 2 ½ years, but have never been on [the executive board],” Downer wrote in a brief description on the online ballet. “I also think that this will help me grow more, I have never taken minutes or done public relations and this will help me gain that experience as well as the experience of being on the executive board overall.”

EC junior Alex Shultz won his new position in SGA as Parliamentarian as the sole runner, winning 81.75 percent of the 137 votes.

The parliamentarian position is, according to Ahmed, a new position created to have someone on the board whose sole job it is to interpret the SGA constitution and make sure it is being implemented and followed as intended.

Senator positions were selected via an internal application and selection, according to Ahmed.

To increase recognized organization and club participation, a new form of senator will be implemented in the fall of 2018.

The legislator position is designed to have a larger representation in SGA by student organizations.

Ahmed described the reasoning for the creation of the new position as a way to increase a noticeably dwindling organization participation.

“We feel that it is part of our responsibility to help each organization increase their outreach and activity,” Ahmed wrote in an email. “This role provides a platform for students of all different interests to come together once a month and inform SGA and the other groups on their initiatives or events they are planning. It’s meant to be a time for students to PR, share ideas, collaborate with one another, and voice concerns.”